


Momentum

by Snow



Category: Firefly
Genre: Drunkenness, M/M, Spin the Bottle, underlying concept is crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-13
Updated: 2010-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-10 13:03:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/100075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Kaylee's idea that they play spin the bottle.  They're all far too drunk, and Mal had the bright idea to get back to the ship instead of running the risk of someone (him) winding up married.  She looks at them all, assembled around a nearly-empty bottle of planet-bought gin, and bursts out laughing.</p><p>Set pre-Movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Momentum

It's Kaylee's idea. They're all far too drunk, and Mal had the bright idea to get back to the ship instead of running the risk of someone (him) winding up married. She looks at them all, assembled around a nearly-empty bottle of planet-bought gin, and bursts out laughing.

"What is it, Kaylee?" Inara asks.

"We could play spin the bottle."

Mal blinks slowly at her. "You hit your head at some point in the near past I don't recall?" he asks.

"No, it's just." Kaylee hand-waves as her attempt to keep a straight face dissolves into giggles again.

"What's spin the bottle?" River turns to Simon, who Mal thinks looks a little chagrined. They're the only two here who are completely sober; even Book took a couple of sips of the gin before pronouncing it not nearly as good as the hooch Kaylee makes in the engine room.

"It's a game teenagers play," Mal explains. "I'm sure even students who went to fancy schools like your brother played it at parties."

Simon scratches at the back of his neck. That shouldn't be nearly as attractive as it is. "I didn't, actually."

"It is an important part of adolescence," River says.

Wash laughs. "I wouldn't say that."

"I think we should play it." Mal looks at Inara in shock, but she doesn't meet his eyes.

"A part of adolescence that I never even had the opportunity to try." River turns her sad eyes on Simon, and Mal can see the boy caving in the face of his sister's manipulation.

"I think I'll sit this one out," Book says, and it's as if he's pushing the rest of them forward with his refusal.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Mal starts to say, only to be greeted with frowns from nearly everyone.

"Chicken, Captain?" Jayne will never be anything other than annoying.

"No one has to participate who doesn't want to," Kaylee says. "But there ain't no reason that those who think it'll be fun shouldn't enjoy themselves."

Mal is wondering who put her in charge when he realizes that Jayne is drinking straight from the bottle of gin in an effort to drain it. Their rough grouping has turned into an evenly-spaced circle: Kaylee, Zoe, Simon, River, Inara, Jayne, Wash, Mal. Book has retreated to his room.

"I'd like a rule," Simon says. "If it comes up with River and I, we spin again."

"Of course," Mal says. "If there isn't anything else, perhaps we should start." Mal's expecting Inara to bow out at any moment, to say that she only does this with clients, but she stays.

"Who's starting?" Kaylee asks.

"Why don't you?" Mal suggests.

She grins and grabs hold of the bottle, spinning. It points at everyone once, twice, before stopping, pointing directly at River. Kaylee pauses, but River doesn't. Instead River scoots the couple of feet across the circle to be in front of Kaylee, leaning forward and wrapping a hand around the back of Kaylee's head. The kiss is as tender as expected, but it holds more passion. Mal can't remember the last time he tried to analyze a kiss that he wasn't a participant in, so he quickly moves his thoughts away. Kaylee seems surprised as well, before grinning. "Your turn, Zoe."

Zoe's spin lands on Wash, and Mal would accuse someone of rigging the game if he didn't know Zoe better than that. Mal isn't used to sitting and just watching Zoe and Wash kiss, but he's noticed that if he looks away he winds up meeting someone else's eye accidentally.

Simon spins the bottle too carefully, so that it doesn't go a full time around, instead stuttering to a stop. It's pointing closer to Mal than Kaylee. Mal is still processing that when Simon presses himself against Mal, leaving a chaste kiss on Mal's lips before Mal has much of a chance at all to react. Simon still flushes pink as he returns to his spot around the circle. Mal's surprised that no one has spoken since Kaylee signaled that it was Zoe's turn; they all seem to be taking this foolish game rather seriously. Mal thinks that rather undermines the point of it.

River's spin lands on Kaylee, and Mal thinks the girl sends a wink in Kaylee's direction but can't be sure. Either way, Mal keeps his glare on Jayne to keep him from saying anything inappropriate.

Inara spins the bottle to land on Simon, and Simon pulls back from the kiss when it looks like Inara is just getting started. Mal ponders the fact that Simon seems intent to keep himself more aloof from the game than anyone else. Hell, he's probably only playing because he sees it as the only way to keep his sister safe.

Jayne's spin lands on Inara, which cheers _him_ up at least. If there's anyone who can handle Jayne and make sure she stays in control, it's Inara.

Wash spins the bottle, only to have it land on Jayne. They both laugh awkwardly and brush their lips against each other. Mal thinks suddenly that this game was much more fun when he played it as a child.

He ponders cheating at the game and decides against it, only to have the bottle point at Simon anyway when it stops spinning. Mal doesn't have to think to know that he's not going to let Simon take control of the kiss this time. He can feel the game dissolve as he heads towards Simon. It wasn't as much fun as anyone had hoped, after all. Kaylee and River head somewhere together, and while Mal finds that suspicious in a way that it isn't usually, it does assuage any guilt about Kaylee and Simon that Mal might otherwise feel. Mal is intent enough on approaching Simon, then, that he blocks everyone else out.

Mal thinks he hears Simon say, "You don't have to," but it's such a ridiculous thing to say that Mal pays it no mind. Instead Mal tilts Simon's head up and pushes his lips against Simon's. Simon withdraws, but Mal just lets him take a (shaky) breath before pushing them back together. Mal is just drunk enough that he doesn't care about the other people still in the cargo-bay, but not so drunk that he doesn't think to take advantage of the way Simon has suddenly gone soft and compliant against him.

"You're drunk," Simon says when Mal finally lets him go, confident enough that Simon was responding that they can continue this at a later time.

"Nope," Mal replies. "I just have some alcohol in my system." He doesn't even have to work to make sure he doesn't slur his words. He does give into the urge to place one last peck on Simon's lips, to make the medic look a little more debauched.

"You're not drunk." Simon doesn't sound very convinced, but it's a start.

"Now you're gettin' it." Mal tilts his head. "I have no intention to coerce you into anything you don't want to do. But if your reason is 'because it might be socially uncomfortable' rather than 'because I'm not attracted to you', you might want to spare a thought for reconsidering that notion."

Simon stares at Mal as if he's suddenly sprouted a third arm.

Mal smiles. "I'm heading to my bunk. Up to you if you decide to join me." He hopes it's not just the liquor in his system that makes him see Simon start to nod.

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate comments, including constructive criticism.


End file.
